EU pledges aid to help flood-stricken Afghans 

The European Union has allocated €150,000 ($170,000) in humanitarian aid to help ease the plight of thousands of Afghans affected by recent floods in the country. 

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the EU said the will directly benefit at least 35,000 affected people in some of the hardest-hit areas in Kapisa, Maidan Wardak, Paktika, Panjshir, and Parwan provinces.  

According to the statement, the funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

The EU-funding supports the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) in delivering much-needed assistance through the distribution of emergency food supplies to those hit by the floods, the statement said. 

“Given the predominantly patriarchal culture in the Afghan society, the program ensures a gender-sensitive approach, allowing both women and men equal and safe access to the support. As the COVID-19 outbreak remains a significant threat, personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers are also being provided as part of the mitigation measures,” the statement read.

This comes after last month’s floods destroyed and damaged thousands of homes in 14 provinces and left at least 190 people dead. 

The devastating floods hit the central and eastern parts of Afghanistan which is battling ongoing conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In their statement, the EU said flash floods had “destroyed homes, damaged large swathes of agricultural lands and irrigation systems, adversely affecting the livelihoods and food security of families.”

The European Union, together with its Member States, is the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid and relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. 

It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.